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World Conqueror: Genghis's ideology of world rule and why it matters today

Though widely seen in the West as nothing more than a mass-murdering barbarian, Genghis Khan was a leader of genius. His success inspired his heirs with the astounding vision that Heaven had given the whole world to the Mongols. This was the ideology behind the campaigns that followed his death in 1227. It was also the dream of his grandson, Kublai, when he conquered all China and attempted to extend Mongol rule to Java, Vietnam and Japan. His successes and failures defined China’s borders - and her self-image - from then on.

John Man is an author specializing in Central Asia, north China and Japan, with occasional forays into TV and radio. After studying languages at Oxford, he did post-graduate courses in the History and Philosophy of Science (Oxford) and Mongolian (SOAS, London). Training as a journalist with Reuters, he joined Time Life Books, becoming European Editor. His popular history books have been widely read and filmed. Genghis Khan: Life, Death and Resurrection is a best-seller in 21 languages. Other books on Mongolia and China include Attila the Hun, Kublai Khan, The Terracotta Army, The Great Wall, and Xanadu (on Marco Polo). The Leadership Secrets of Genghis Khan combines history and leadership theory. He is also author of Samurai: The Last Warrior which was followed by Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior (2012) and The Mongol Empire (2014).